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Boys Techno 293 And Byte CII At Youth Olympics

The Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Boys Techno 293 fleet will feature 15-16 year old windsurfers out to achieve their goals and enjoy the YOG experience.

Held on Lake Jinniu in Nanjing, China the boys, from 20 nations, will fly their flags on the Chinese water. The second Youth Olympiad is scheduled to start on Monday Aug 18, 1100 local time.

A continental qualification system has ensured that the best windsurfers have got a spot on the start line.

Myanmar's Set Naing Aung has had a two-year rapid rise in windsurfing and took the third qualification spot out of three at the Singapore Open Asian Windsurfing Championship in January 2014. He finished sixth overall but his journey to the event has been a huge upward curve that has seen him achieve beyond his dreams.

"I began preparations for the 27th [2013] South East Asian Games 12 months before the actual event,” says Aung. “In the sports school, I was training in the sport of diving for six months before the Myanmar Yachting Federation selected me to be a part of the sailing program…when I first saw the windsurfing videos during the recruitment presentation, I knew I that I wanted to do just that.”

Nine nations were aiming for one of three qualification spots at the Asian Championship. Japan and Thailand picked up the first two with Aung taking the final spot for Myanmar.

With 155 2014 Worlds entrants France’s Tom Monnet was the top YOG sailor finishing second overall, Russia’s Maxim Tokarev was the next best placed in fourth with Japan’s Kensei Ikeda in fifth. All will be in contention for the top honours in Nanjing.

The Boys Byte CII fleet is expected to throw out some exceptional competition but the Hungarian sailor, Jonatan Vadnai has been head and shoulders above the pack, and has 2013 and 2014 Byte CII World titles to his name.

America’s Henry Marshall was absent from the 2014 Worlds but pushed the Hungarian in 2013 and they resume their fight in Nanjing. 2013 bronze medalist Pavle Zivanovic (CRO) will also join the pair on the start line as will 2014 podium finishers Scipio Houtman (NED) and Arvid Nordquist (SWE).

The 101 sailors will stay in the Athlete’s Village and get a first-hand experience of the Olympic Games.

The Opening Ceremony on Aug 16 will officially kick off the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games. The sailing competition begins on Aug 18 at 1100 local time and will finish on Aug 23.